News

Barnsley Folk Get Honour Of Christmas Light Switch-On

Monday November 21 2011

ONE Barnsley local has been selected to turn on our town's Christmas Lights and celebrate all that is good about our town.

We Are Barnsley arranged the competition - with kind permission from Barnsley Council - after some locals expressed disappointment that Bob The Builder had been booked to flick the switch.

There was lots of amazing and worthy entries - but WAB decided in the end the honour should go to Ebonie Webb, four.

We feel she epitomises all that we want to celebrate about Barnsley not just because she's a lovely little girl, but because of what she represents - a true Barnsley spirit. Locals have rallied around to raise over £60,000 for her since February to pay for her to have life-saving treatment in America.

Ebonie has a brain tumour, and has been having chemotherapy since she was six months old - and while normal radiotherapy would leave her with damaged parts of her brain, the pioneering proton treatment targets only the tumour.

Mum Leanne said: "If I were to list everyone who has helped us out we would be here all night. We have been so blown away by the community support. We have had random people knocking on our door, handing us envelopes with £400 in to help our Ebonie and not wanting anything in return.

"To me, Ebonie has captured the true spirit of Barnsley, the fact that everyone has rallied to help and been so generous. I can't believe it. People know of her, they want to help. Of course, I would love it if my daughter was anonymous, that noone knew who she was. Because that would mean she would be well and we wouldn't need help.

"But unfortunately that isn't the case, so all we can say is thankyou. Thankyou to everyone who has supported her. She's going to love it."

Ebonie will be flicking the switch with the Mayor, Coun Karen Dyson and Bob The Builder on Wednesday at 6pm.

Well done Ebonie, you will inspire many and touch the lives across the nation with your story, not just us Barnsley folk. I hope you and others alike get all their wishes this Christmas. You definitely do deserve your wish to light up Barnsley this Christmas. xxx